About On Deck

On Deck Online is just that - an online version of my weekly look-ahead-at-area-sports column, "On Deck," that appears in the Times Argus print edition on Mondays. Keep checking back for live.blogs of games (from gyms, fields and rinks that actually have wireless); extra quotes that didn't make it into my stories; the occasional mail bag to respond to email from readers; good writing I find from newspapers and sports sites around the country; and more.

03/24/2012

Harwood athletic director Sue Duprat sent over the release about the newest Harwood Hall of Fame class, and I have to say, this one is one of my favorites.

Fred LaRock is a hands-down choice, and I have loved covering his Highlander softball teams. There isn't a coach out there like Fred, and it really makes me wish I had played for him. His love of the game and passion for coaching comes through with every phone call he makes to us after games and in every game of his I've covered. Congratulations, Fred!

Merrie-Beth Maynard is another spectacular choice, as are Dac Rowe - the namesake of the softball field where LaRock elevated the Highlander program - and Brian Harwood - like I need to explain that choice.

- Anna Grearson

Here's the full release:

Harwood Union Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

5 individuals and one Team slated for induction June 2!

DUXBURY, VT: The Third Annual Class of the Harwood Hall of Fame was announced today by Dwight Fiske and Mitch Casey, co-chairpersons of the Harwood Union Hall of Fame Committee.

“The goal of the Hall of Fame committee each year is to elect individuals or groups who represent the best that Harwood, Waitsfield and Waterbury High Schools and their respective communities have to offer. Our Inaugural class set the benchmark for all other classes to follow and we are excited to announce the Harwood Hall of Fame Class of 2012 honorees,”

Fiske said.

“This group of inductees has left their mark on their respective high schools and through their actions and accomplishments during high school and beyond” Casey added.

Waterbury High School Principal, Basketball Coach, Baseball Coach, Track and Field Coach Dac Rowe began his teaching career in Orleans Vermont, but soon came to Waterbury High School, serving as Principal for 33 years. At times he was the high school’s only math teacher and served as the Basketball, Baseball and Track and Field Coach as well. After retirement he stayed on as a math teacher; his last year as a teacher took place during Harwood Union High School’s first year in operation. The W

aterbury High School Alumni Association established a scholarship in his name, and the Waterbury Town Recreation Fields are named in his honor. Dac was a member of the Harry Cutting American Legion Post 59 of Waterbury and served as Post Commander. He was a Charter Member of the Waterbury Rotary Club. Dac passed away on December 30, 1995.

BRIAN HARWOOD WATERBURY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1956

Broadcaster, Community Leader

A 1956 graduate of Waterbury High School, Brian served as class president his sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as president of the Student Council as both a junior and a senior. Brian began his broadcasting career even prior to his graduation from UVM in 1960. He has worked at WDEV, WCVT, WJOY, WVNY, WCAX, and founded WRFB FM in Stowe in 1976. He has served his community in a variety of way. A few of the positions he has held are: served as a member of the UVM College of Nursing Advisory Board; as Chair of the Northfield Savings Bank, Chair of Vermont Public Television, Chair of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, President of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters. He received the University of Vermont’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007. Brian has served in the Vermont National Guard, and was on the original Harwood Union School Board, serving from 1963-1969.

COBY HEISE CLASS OF 1993 Soccer, Hockey, Baseball

Coby stands as the true embodiment of a “Student-Athlete”. He was on the Honor, High-Honor or Highest-Honor Roll every grading period throughout his 4 year high school career; a career that saw him earn All-League or All-State honors in Baseball, Soccer, and Ice Hockey. Achievements all the more notable as Coby has battled serious health issues his entire life. He was named the International Diabetic Association’s “Outstanding Diabetic Athlete” in the fall of 1992, and was honored at a year-end International conference. In his senior year, he was selected to play in the prestigious Rotary Senior All Star Hockey Game, as well as the Twin State Baseball Classic All Star game. Coby went on to be a 4 year letter winner for the University of Vermont’s Baseball team, graduating in 1997. He played one year of

professional baseball for the Wichita (KS) Wranglers, and is now the owner and lead designer for a Web/Graphic Design business.

Merrie-Beth was an outstanding athlete who lettered in multiple years and was Captain of her Basketball and Tennis teams, but it was as a Field Hockey player that she truly found her calling and excelled. A four year letter winner in Field Hockey, she was Captain in both her junior and senior years. She was a Capital 1st Team selection in each of her 4 years in high school, was named the Times Argus Field Hockey Player of the Year, and was named to the Burlington Free Press All State Field Hockey Team as both a junior and a senior. Being selected to the Junior Olympic US Field Hockey Northeast Regional team, she competed in the National Tournament in 1999, 2000 and 2001. She was named Harwood’s Outstanding Female Athlete and was selected to the Twin State Field Hockey team following her senior year. Merrie-Beth took her Field Hockey prowess to the University of Vermont, where the awards and accomplishments continued: she was named to the America East All Conference Team in her junior and senior years, was on the America East All Academic squad for four years, was named UVM’s Woman Athlete of the Year in 2006, and was MVP of her Field Hockey team in both her junior and senior years.

THE 1976 VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY TEAM Harwood’s First Girls State Championship Team!

Coached by Jeanne Modern (O’Brien) and Lyndy Wells, the 1976-77 Varsity Field Hockey Team won Harwood’s first Girls State Championship, the Class I VPA Championship. The team was captained by: Pamela Barnard, Laura (Callan) Fortmeyer, Linda Chadwick, Lisa (Cota) Arnt, Anna Ferguson, and Bonnie (Lewis) Kerin.

FRED LAROCK Varsity Softball Coach

A lifelong Waterbury area resident, Fred has been coaching softball in the community for many years. As Harwood’s Varsity Softball Coach, he has led the Highlanders to the VPA Division 2 Semi-Finals and Championship games on 8 separate occasions. He has organized and coached summer ASA softball programs for younger players, creating a feeder program for his Varsity squad. A great teacher of the game, Fred’s players maintain their association with him and the program they are played so hard for. His players have gone on to excel at colleges and universities around the country. He has led his high school varsity team to the most wins of any softball coach at Harwood.

The annual Hall of Fame Induction and Dinner is the highlight of The Legends of Harwood Weekend. The weekend features Silent Auctions, a Golf Tournament, Alumni games and all events are open to the public. The dinner has been very well attended, and tickets will go on sale in mid-May. For more information about the Hall of Fame and to access nomination forms, log on to Harwood Union’s website at www.harwood.orgor contact Dwight Fiske at mdwfiske@comcast.net or Mitch Casey at Mitch.Casey@gmcr.com

03/23/2012

I love seeing that I have email from Vermont Mountaineers GM Brian Gallagher. It always means something awesome has happened to a former Mountaineer. Always.

Today's was no different.

The first line of the reads: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A.J. Pollock belted a walk-off solo homer Tuesday afternoon to give the D-backs a 4-3 victory over the Giants in front of 12,575, a Salt River Fields record crowd.

Abbriano posted seven goals and an assist for a sparkling eight-point night in the 20-4 final. Fitzpatrick and Conroy contributed four goals apiece.

It didn’t take long for Coach Beth Van Parys’ squad to prove its top spot pick on the GNAC preseason poll. The Maroon and Gold peppered the Saints’ net with five goals less than seven minutes in and held a 14-2 lead at the break. Norwich opened the second half on a similar roll scoring two goals in less than five minutes.

There's just one Vermonter on the Norwich women's roster this year: freshman Hope Royce from Chelsea. The 5'7" midfielder was most recently part of the Division II girls lacrosse state champion Red Devils, was named Second Team All-State in 2009 and 2011 and was tabbed the Red Devils' Most Determined Player as well as a Coaches Award selection. She tallied an assist in the season-opener. She also had one shot (one on goal) and scooped one ground ball.

03/19/2012

After falling in the semfinals of the 2012 NCAA Division III men's Frozen Four, the Norwich Cadets drop to No. 3 in the final USCHO.com poll of the season. The women, who lost to RIT in the national championship, end at No. 2.

Earlier this weekend women's coach Mark Bolding won his third straight national coach of the year award, and Julie Fortier was named the D3 national player of the year. On the men's side, both head coach Mike McShane and junior Pier-Olivier Cotnoir were runners-up for the same awards. Amherst coach Jack Arena and goalie Jonathan LaRose won.

-Anna Grearson

Women's poll release:

USCHO.com Division III Women's Poll

Minneapolis, Minn./March 19, 2012

RIT finishes the season as Division III national champions and also on top of the USCHO.com Division III Women's Poll with all 15 first-place votes this week. Norwich is again second, followed by Plattsburgh up three to No. 3, Gustavus Adolphus up one to No. 4 and Middlebury down a pair

to No. 5.

Amherst falls two to sit sixth this week, Wisconsin-River Falls remains seventh, as does Elmira at No. 8, Concordia (Minn.) at

03/15/2012

Oxbow greats Jazz and Jade Huntington are, along with Marcus Camby and the UMass teams of the 1990s, *the* reason I have a basketball obsession. (So, therefore, is John Calipari, but we won't go into how much I now don't like the man here.)

So the Olympians of 2011-2012 will make the program's 27th trip to the Barre Auditorium tonight, taking on No. 2 Thetford. Both teams are 18-4. Third-seeded Oxbow beat Thetford twice in the regular season, once 44-42 at Thetford on Dec. 30, 2011 and again 43-28 near the end of the regular season in Bradford.

Both teams hit some bumps at the end of the regular season, with the Panthers losing two of their last three and the Olympians dropping three of their last six.

The winner of tonight's 8:15 p.m. semifinal will take on the winner of No. 1 Enosburg and No. 4 Windsor in Saturday's 7:30 p.m. Division III state championship. The Hornets and the Yellowjackets play prior to the Panthers and the Olympians tonight. Oxbow beat Windsor 33-28 in Bradford on Jan. 3 but did not face Enosburg. The Panthers did not face either Enosburg or Windsor.

The Olympians are making their second straight trip to Barre, where they fell in the semifinals last March to Lake Region 53-37. They last won the championship in 2002 as a No. 1 seed in Division II with a 60-45 win over Montpelier. They've made seven trips to the Aud in the last 12 years and have won 12 state championships in school history. Five of those titles came in DII, seven in DIII. The last time Oxbow played for a championship was 2004, when the Olympians lost to Arlington 58-47. They are 21-5 in semifinal games in school history.

The Panthers, on the other hand, have comparitively little Aud experience. They are 3-6 all-time in semifinal games and 0-3 in final appearances. The Panthers are making their first trip to Barre since 2005, when they lost in the finals to Arlington 55-42. Prior to tonight, the Panthers had lost six straight playdowns. They've made just two Aud appearances in the last 12 years.

The last time these two met at the Aud was 1983 when Oxbow beat Thetford for the championship by an overwhelming 54-29 margin.

03/14/2012

I had over 3,000 words of quotes alone from today's media availability for the Norwich University men's & women's hockey teams before they left for their respective Frozen Fours. The women left this morning for Rochester, NY where they will face Gustavus Adolphus in Friday evening's Division III NCAA semifinal. The men left later Wednesday afternoon for Lake Placid, NY where they will face St. Norbert in the men's semifinal. The winners will all play Saturday night at 7 p.m. for the national championship. The women are aiming for their second straight while the men are looking for their fourth overall and second in the last three years.

Here's everything I couldn't get in the print edition for tomorrow:

Women's Team:

Kelly Fisk:

We were going against Amherst, and we lost to them earlier in the season, so it gave us a little bit of a spark. We were just on fire throughout the whole game and we were working together. To be able to win and be going back to the Frozen Four again, the whole goal this year has been to get back to the Frozen Four and do it again.

It’s hard to relay what it really feels like to be there and everything that goes on, but we’re trying to get that to them as much as possible. They get how big it is to be there and to win. Hopefully that’s enough.

Amanda Wilks:

We somehow managed to squeeze five goals in there and prevent none. It was awesome.

It’s a different path because last year we got the bye and didn’t have to play that quarterfinal. Winning our conference and our quarterfinal has actually been one step further than what we did last year. We’re super excited and actually not in last place, so we have to play that much better.

It’s completely different from last year, the feeling, because any game can be your last. You just want to go out on a good note and not regret doing something you should have. I’m trying to being everything I have to this game. It would be incredible. I don’t even have words it would be that great.

They played a playoff game and lost, so I never would’ve thought this would be happening three out of the four years I’m here.

Those milestones are always a goal, and once you meet them it’s like a weight off your shoulders. I’m glad that I met them early and now I can just focus on getting that national championship.

Sarianne Lynn:

I think it’s going to be huge to get up first and start really strong and really get to them in the first. And like Jill said, they’ll just snowball after get the first, they’ll just roll into the second and the third.

It’s a little different going back because last year we did have something to prove. This year we have just has much to prove, especially having already lost to RIT this year, it just beings back that same feeling as last year, knowing we have just as much to prove and we deserve to win it all.

This is a big week for us to build momentum and get the ball rolling. After that team win against Amherst, the team really came together and gelled at that time. It will be great going into this weekend.

We played them last year, we know they’re a strong team, we know that they are never going to give up. We learned that in the third period last year, so that’s something that will help us this time to keep going, keep going in the game because they’re not going to give up and we can’t either.

Sophie LeClerc:

All the awards up for grabs for Norwich just speaks to how much the community and Norwich cares about hockey and how much they do want to succeed. It could be just a huge, great thing for the community. It’s cool to claim that type of honor. It’s neat.

Mark Bolding:

There’s a target on your back if you’re the winner. It’s been a good year, we’ve had ups and downs like every team, we’ve had a good run as of late and I think the pressure goes back to RIT. They’re the host, Plattsburgh’s back, Gustavus is always good, so we’re hoping that we can come in there and fly under the radar and play sound hockey and get to the championship game on Saturday.

Playing at home was nice to have our first-ever quarterfinal game at home. I think they’re prepared, and I think they just want to get out of town and see some new sights. I think they are excited to get going as a team and see what happens. I don’t think the energy level will be a question, it will be which team can play well.

Men's Team:

Mike McShane:

It’s been going on for a little while now. Over the last month and a half, you build up, you win your regular-season championship and once you succeed at that, you try to win your playoff championship so you receive your national tournament bid, and then after that, you go one step at a time. We won last week to put ourselves in the Final Four. We’re looking at St. Norbert Friday afternoon. That’s going to be a big game for us.

Anybody who’s a senior has had the chance to get one, and now you’re in a great position to go back to Lake Placid, which is just a treat in itself, I’m sure there’s a lot of vigor and emotion in these guys to do it again.

Shawn Baker:

Senior year, it will be our last game, and finishing with a win is what we’ve been looking for all year.

It’s a national rivalry. We don’t play them in the regular season, but when it comes to the semifinals, they’re always in our way. They have an amazing team, and they’ve been there every year. Revenge for last year will be the best.

It’s been a tradition since sophomore year when we won the national (championship) and we had the mustaches. It’s pretty funny. When we’re all together and go to the movies, it’s 25 of us (with mustaches). People laugh, they ask questions. It’s just a good thing overall. They’re a lucky charm so far.

Igor Martinez:

Our biggest thing this year is we have a real big mindset on the team concept.

A lot of that stems from our coaching staff. I remember coach coming into our locker room to give us a pep talk when we were dealing with injuries. The big thing was, ‘You’re going to have to play with injuries. Good teams play when they’re beat up,’ and that’s the most important part, just digging deep and going through all that, and giving it all for the guy next to you.

Good luck to both teams. I'll be in Lake Placid with the men's team, so be sure to follow my tweets (@annagrearson), which can also be found on our website, www.timesargus.com, under "sports." I'll have stories on Saturday and Sunday (hopefully) from the Frozen Four.

03/13/2012

Congratulations to former Harwood Union High School standout Sophia Lisaius who was recently named the Rookie of the Year after her freshman season for the UC-Davis field hockey team.

Here's the release from the Aggies website:

DAVIS, Calif. - The UC Davis women's field hockey recently held its annual awards banquet, presenting several prestigious awards to outstanding players. All but one of the awards were voted by team members. Below is a list of this season's award winners.

A senior from San Diego and one of the Aggies' team captains, Lopez started all 17 games, scoring two goals and dishing a team-high nine assists. She finished with 13 points while controlling the midfield and helping lead many of the Aggies' attacks.

A sophomore from Morgan Hill, LemMon tied for the team lead with 15 points and seven goals. Included in her scores were three game-winners, best on the team. She also posted a hat trick against Penn - the first since the program regained varsity status in 2009 - and earned NorPack Conference West Division Player of the Week honors once.

A senior from Poway, Schneider carries a 3.93 grade point average while majoring in chemistry. She started 16 games, posted an assist in the season-opening win against Pacific and capped her year by earning a share of the NorPac's prestigious Sheryl Johnson Academic Excellence Award.

ROOKIE AGGIE OF THE YEAR: Sophia Lisaius

From Warren, Vt., Lisaius was voted the most outstanding true freshman and received Rookie Aggie of the Year honors. She played in 14 games, started two and finished with seven shots.

The honor is bestowed by the coaching staff to recognize hard work in the offseason, as well as excellent play, effort and attitude during the season. Conley, a junior from Tulsa, was twice named the NorPac West Division's Defensive Player of the Week, finishing the year with 73 saves while starting 12 of 17 games. Mecke, from Carlsbad, started 11 games, collecting a team-best tying seven goals and 15 points.

A junior from San Jose, who received the Most Dedicated Aggie of the Year. The defender was honored by her teammates for showing extraordinary leadership both on and off the field, and helping guide her teammates in all aspects of their games while striving to develop her game to its fullest as well.

or by phone at 518-523-3330. It is strongly encouraged to call if you would like to get seats in Section 3.

All-session passes which includes a ticket to all three games are $27 for adults and $20 for youth, senior citizens and groups. Single-day tickets are $16 for adults and $13 for youth, senior citizens and groups.

Norwich (24-2-2) will take on defending national champion St. Norbert (19-5-5) in the first semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m., while SUNY Oswego (23-2-2) battles Amherst (24-3-1) at 7:30 p.m. in the second semifinal. The winners advance to Saturday’s National Championship game to be played at 7 p.m.

The Cadets are making their third straight appearance in the D-III Frozen Four and last time the championship was held in Lake Placid, NU beat St. Norbert 2-1 in double-overtime to claim the program’s third national title. Last year, St. Norbert enacted revenge with a 3-2 win over the Cadets in the semifinals before going on to beat Adrian 4-3 in the National Championship game.

Tonight marks the sixth straight appearance for the Twinfield girls basketball team at the Barre Auditorium.

The Trojans are hoping the fourth time is the charm, however, as they've been knocked out of the Division IV state tournament in the semifinals each of the last three years.

Twinfield, seed No. 1, brings a 20-2 record into tonight's semifinal against No. 5 Chelsea, which stands at 16-6. The two teams did not meet in the regular season. Twinfield is on a seven-game win streak, losing only to Division III Rivendell and Winooski, while Chelsea lost three of its last five regular-season games.

The winner of tonight's game will play the winner of Proctor and West Rutland in Saturday's final at noon at the Barre Auditorium. West Rutland has been a nemesis of the Red Devils at the Aud, though Chelsea did beat the Golden Horde in 2009, 47-41, and in 2005, 41-34, for two of its seven state championships. Twinfield will be aiming for its seventh title, having one three each in Division III and IV. Its last title came in 2008 against Danville with a 51-50 win thanks in large part to the dominance of Camille duPont. duPont's younger sister, Bryanna, is one of many stars leading this year's Twinfield team.

Twinfield has knocked Chelsea out of the tournament in 2006 and 2001, while Chelsea has eliminated the Trojans in 2009 and 2004. Tonight is the first semifinal appearance for the Red Devils since 2009.

Both teams feature a slew of multi-sport athletes, which to me is why both programs are so strong. These small schools have kids that not only play every sport together, they've literally all been together since they were very young. They just know where each other is at all times, because it's always been that way. Chelsea is a girls lacrosse powerhouse for this very reason. Twinfield had a great run in girls soccer this fall. The bonds are clearly strong, which will make tonight that much louder, that much more emotional, that much more competitive.

Tonight's game tips at 6:30 p.m. Proctor and West Rutland play on Wednesday night, also at 6:30 p.m.